1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an article wrapped with a wrapping film, and more particularly to a wrapped article, and a method for wrapping same in such a form that a wrapping film is attached in close contact with an object to be wrapped; for example, a wrapped article which contains one or a number of objects such as a magnetic tape cassette housed in a case.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Among various types of recent commodities arranged in a shop, in the case of relatively small products having a regular shape such as a magnetic tape cassette, the product is wrapped with a transparent or translucent wrapping film coated with cellophane, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, polyvinylidenechloride, or the like, in order to protect the product from dust or moisture and so maintain a good appearance. These magnetic tape cassettes are shipped as a wrapped article or displayed in the shop as one of packages to be sold en block in which an appropriate number of goods are collectively packed.
As a matter of course, when an article (a product) wrapped in this type of wrapping film is used, it is necessary to remove this wrapping film. In most cases, as shown in FIG. 17, a tearing tape 2 is formed inside the wrapping film, and a constitution for facilitating the removal of the film from an article 10 is generally adopted.
In other words, this tearing tape 2 allows a wrapping film 1 to be appropriately split and separated by pulling an exposed end 2a of the tape 2. Slits 3 are formed along this tearing tape in the vicinity of the exposed end 2a, thereby facilitating the removal of the tape. By means of such a constitution, the wrapping film 1 can be split along the tearing tape 2 from the end 2a. As a result of this, the wrapping film 1 is split up completely or separated in two.
A wrapping method which is generally called shrink-wrap is widely used for such a wrapping film. In this shrink-wrap, when a wrapping film is attached to an article to be wrapped (i.e. a product), the product is enclosed in the wrapping film while the film is appropriately stretched or heated to a suitable temperature in accordance with the material of the film. The wrapping film is tightly attached onto the surface of the product because of a contracting action of the film, so that the product is enclosed giving it a good appearance. Such tight attachment of the film to the product involves a laborious removal action to open the film. Conventionally, several measures are taken to overcome the drawback in the prior art by, for example, forming the tearing tape as mentioned above. This tearing tape was a very effective means.
However, in order to form a tearing tape inside a wrapping film, machines and processes which are dedicated to producing the tearing tape become necessary. In addition, in view of its function, the tearing tape must be sturdier than the wrapping film, and this tearing tape adds to the cost.
Moreover, although it depends on the position of the tearing tape, when the tearing tape is disposed as shown in FIG. 17, a smaller part "a" of the film remaining after the film has been split by the tearing tape is easy to remove. On the other hand, a larger remaining film "b" involves a very laborious removal action in order to get at the actual content.
For this reason, another type of wrapping film has been put forward, for example, in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 3(1991)-32066, wherein a weakly bonded part which is readily peeled off is formed in a body seal section where both edges of a wrapping film overlap each other and are bonded together. The part of the film that remains after the wrapping film has been torn off with a tearing tape can be readily peeled off by widely removing it from this weakly bonded part.
However, the wrapping film put forward in Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Publication No. 3(1991)-32066 still needs the tearing tape, and hence machines and processes which are dedicated to producing a tearing tape are still necessary, thereby adding to the cost. In order to peel off the wrapping film, two steps of actions such as the tearing of the tearing tape and the removal of the weakly bonded part are necessary, and hence the removal action of the wrapping film becomes laborious.